On the Rise featuring Wild Rivers

Part of the reason I started writing this blog series is because I get this rush when I discover a new artist or group, and I can dive headfirst into their music. It’s one thing to find new music through hit radio stations or Spotify charts. Still, it’s a different feeling stumbling into something brand new via the Spotify algorithm, listening to a friend’s playlist, or, best of all, accidentally catching them performing live. This is the magic of music in 2025. Random discovery regardless of location or how you listen. 50 years ago, it would have been hard to find out about a band from Canada unless they hit big and started touring nationally and selling records across the country. We live in a beautiful era for music because the possibilities are endless for artists and fans.

I have been infatuated with a group called Wild Rivers since 2020. The trio is originally from Toronto and has been around since 2015 when they met at Queen’s University. In 2016, Wild Rivers self-released their self-titled debut album. Some fan-favorite tracks off this album are “Wandering Child” and “Speak Too Soon.” It is a delightful introduction to the band’s sound. Their music, which incorporates sounds of folk, alternative, indie, rock, and pop, focuses on the relatable issues those in their early to mid-twenties face as they try to navigate love, adolescence, and self-discovery. These themes remain consistent throughout their catalog.

Photo Credit: Justin Broadbent

One of my favorite things about Wild Rivers is their use of two singers, Khalid Yassein and Devan Glover. The trio also includes Andrew Oliver who plays lead guitar and synths. The uniqueness of their songwriting and performance is what makes them so addictive. How many groups out there have a male/female vocal duo on the majority of their songs? It reminds me of the anthemic hits performed by Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. I think those loved-fueled rock classics were made iconic because the performances were powerful and most importantly believable. The contrast between male and female vocalists gives the band two unique sounds and a beautiful harmonious dynamic.

In 2020, Wild Rivers released an EP called Songs to Break Up To during the beginning of the global pandemic that sold me instantly, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I was listening to a lot of music during that time, but most importantly, I discovered a lot of new material that has stuck with me.

Photo Credit: Laura E. Partain

Their first big hit “Thinking Bout Love” is the anthem that made me fall in love with their sound. It’s soulful and catchy but perfectly encapsulates their sound. One of the best tracks from the Songs to Break Up To EP is called “I Do”. I was hooked on this song for weeks. The song starts with just guitar and vocals and slowly adds more instruments over the first 2 minutes as it builds slowly into a big rock performance.

Wild Rivers’ second album Sidelines was an incredible follow-up to their initial success. Hit songs like “Amsterdam”, “Neon Stars”, and “Bedrock” are great additions to their collection.

More recently, the group released two major projects in 2024, Never Better and Better Now, which as the titles suggest feel like artistic siblings. Some of the highlights are “Never Better”, “Cave” and “Anyways I Love You”. When interviewed on their latest major release the band stated:

“Better Now is our companion record, and the other side to Never Better. On the first record, the songs express raw, absolute, and instinctual feelings. In many ways, Better Now is the afterglow of that. We’re reflecting and coming to understand that relationships change over time. Complicated situations can simply be complicated, and feelings can remain unresolved. If the first record is bright and bold, this one represents the softer gradients in between: the sunrises and sunsets. Together, both projects make up the full spectrum of who we are.”

Photo Credit: Kelsey Riemer

I genuinely believe that Wild Rivers is overdue to massively explode in popularity. Indie Folk is a growing genre, and the group has been consistently touring with some of the biggest names in the genre: Noah Kahan, The Head and the Heart, The Chicks and The Paper Kites. Their eclectic sound and memorable performances make them a great touring band which holds weight with the right type of audience. Their music feels both intimate and expansive—like the soundtrack to a long road trip with good friends. You feel nostalgic listening to them even though they are a relatively new group with only a few years of major exposure. Most of all I enjoy how the band emphasizes the need to connect with an audience. Building an authentic relationship with fans while channeling classic singer-songwriters and contemporary artists has been vital to Wild Rivers’ relationship with fans.

Wild Rivers released a single, “Simp Song” in February 2025 which hopefully signifies that big things are on the way. I truly can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this year.